


Long Distance Dribbles and Drabbles

by HamiltonGFantomos



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-09
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-01-11 17:28:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1175845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamiltonGFantomos/pseuds/HamiltonGFantomos





	1. Chapter 1

Cortez shifted under the thin blanket as a draft stole across the room. The couch springs, long past their prime, groaned and squeaked as he tried to get comfortable. Silence returned as he finally got settled, except for the sound of the wind and rain outside the windows. Unable to sleep, Steve lay for long time, looking at nothing in particular in the dimly-lit room. The sound of footfalls in the distance caught his attention. The steps became heavier and louder the closer they got, until they came to halt at the door. The door swung open and a massive figure stepped into the room. Steve watched as the shadowy giant went to the bed on the opposite side of the room and leaned down over the figure laying there.

"Wake up, Loco." Vega hovered a moment, and then bent down even further. "Please wake up, Shepard," he whispered. After a few moments, James realized he was being watched. He straightened up and turned. "I didn't think you'd be back tonight."

Even in the dark, Cortez could see Vega smiling. "Yeah, I made it back. Always do. Anything exciting on your watch?"

Vega walked over to the couch. "Nah. Pretty quiet tonight." As he sat, Cortez rolled onto his side, his back against the back of the couch. Vega bent forward and tugged at his laces and then pulled off his boots. Vega leaned back, his hand coming to rest on Cortez' shoulder and gave a firm squeeze. "And how was your day?"

Steve gave a snort of a laugh, "Fine, honey, thanks for asking. Couple of donut runs to Manchester and back, you know, medical equipment, medications. Did some local taxi runs for some doctors and nurses. Transfered a patient in from a small clinic on the coast. Typical day." He paused for a moment to lift up the blanket so that James could settle in next to him. There was more groaning and squeaking as the couch protested having to endure the added weight of James Vega as he and Steve shifted on the cushions into what had become their standard sleeping position. James' hand came to rest on Steve's hip as Steve's head came to rest on James' shoulder. Steve wrapped an arm around James' chest, enjoying the extra warmth he was beginning to get used to.

"This couch is too small."

"Or you're just too big, Mr. Vega."

James moved his hand from Steve's hip and started tracing circles in the small of Steve's back. "No such thing."

The two fell into comfortable silence, holding onto each other in the dark hospital room, listening to the rain tap on the windows, waiting for Shepard to wake up.


	2. Chapter 2

He fidgeted in his perch in the empty window of a burned-out building. He shifted his weight slightly, causing floorboards beneath him to squeak.

"The idea of lying in wait is to be unseen and unheard, Lieutenant." There was a hint of amusement in the woman's voice. "Which is impossible if one cannot first quiet one's mind."

He instantly became perfectly still, barely breathing. She was close, but he couldn't tell where. Her voice didn't seem to come from anywhere at all, but also from everywhere at once. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder. "Shit! I didn't even hear you!"

"But I did hear _you_ , which is why if this were not a training exercise --"

"-- I'd be dead. Yes, Justicar."

"No need to be so formal, Lieutenant. Please, call me Samara."

"Only if you call me James. Besides, we're still on-duty, _ma'am_."

Samara smiled, almost laughing. "You called me that on purpose."

"You know I did." James' grin was so wide his teeth practically glowed in the dim moonlight.

"It's been a long night and you've done well. This is the longest you've gone without dying. I think we are done for the evening, _James_."

"Evening? It's almost dawn, _Samara_."

"The past week of your training has been especially intense and demanding, and I know you are also performing your regular security duties at the hospital. I thought you would like an opportunity to spend some time with Lieutenant Cortez."

James stared at Samara in shock. "How did you... why would you think..."

Samara saw a flash of panic in James' eyes. This time, she laughed out loud. "I am nearly one thousand years old, James. Of the many things that vastly different sentient species have in common with each other, love is the one thing which produces nearly the same behaviors among everyone. I see how your face softens when you talk about him, and how you blush, like you're doing now --"

James could feel the heat on his cheeks and prickling on his ears of a full on blush.

" -- when you think about him. Or the way you look at that picture of him on the Citadel, taken that day he got you sets of properly sized and tailored Alliance uniforms."

James was silent for a moment. "Esteban picked up an extra overnight shift doing supply runs for the hospital. He'll be done at noon."

"Who is with Shepard?"

"Jack."

At that, Samara smiled and laughed again. "Plenty of personal security there."

"Yeah." James was silent again. He glanced at the Justicar and pulled a flask from a pocket that normally would have held ammunition. "Love," he said with a sigh, and then took a quick pull from the flask. He held out the flask, offering it.

Samara took the flask. She opened the flask and passed it under her nose slowly, inhaling slightly. She smiled at James and took a sip. "Goddess! James! What is this?" She handed back the flask.

"Mezcal." James took a long pull from the flask and offered it to Samara again. "Love. Love is a big word." James thought again for a moment.

Samara watched as James thought, and took another sip. Heat flowed from her mouth, down her throat, and then into her core. "Love is a big thing." She handed the flask back to James. "How small is a life without it?"

With those words, James nearly dropped the flask. "How small is a life without it," he repeated. He drank again, and passed the flask back. "I was a total screw-up when I was a kid. Dead-ender. Probably die in a knife-fight in some alley over some nonsense bullshit before twenty. And then I got into the Alliance. Channeled my anger. Gave me discipline. Maybe they could put my violent tendencies to good use. Best thing that ever happened to me." He looked to Samara, to see if she understood. The look he got in return told him she did. "Made it through basic training and then they let me loose on humanity's enemies. I kicked some ass, did some good by taking out some baddies, and then had one mission... one mission... lot of good people died; good soldiers, innocent civilians. And then they brought me back to Earth to keep an eye on me, make sure my fuckups didn't kill anyone else. So they put me to guard Shepard. And when I was guarding Shepard, the Reapers came back. I hopped a ride on the Normandy with Major Alenko and Commander Shepard and then that was the best thing that ever happened to me."

"And then?" Samara passed the flask back to James.

James drank and considered for a moment. "And then we put it all on the line, and a lot of good people died, bad people too, and we won. We won our freedom and we won the future. And when Normandy crashed on that rock, I... I cried for Shepard, I cried for EDI, I cried for Kaidan, I cried for Joker, I even cried for the geth, and I cried because I felt so guilty that I could be happy that I still had Esteban, even when my friends, people I respect, had either died or lost so much." James paused again, before taking another pull from the flask and passing it back to Samara. "And now here we are, back on Earth, and Shepard isn't dead, and the quarians are working to restore the geth and Tali thinks that if they can restore the geth, the geth can help restore EDI and maybe Shepard. And Earth is still in ruins, and so is Thessia, and Palaven, and the relays are still shot to shit and I've got some thousand-year-old Justicar kicking my ass every day and night with training and she helps me see that there's a new best thing that happened to me."

"I'm afraid I've emptied the flask." Samara apologized as she handed it back to James.

"That's okay." James reached into his pocket. "I've got a spare." He smiled as he passed her then new, full flask, in exchange for the empty.

Samara took one more drink and then handed the flask back to James. "Come on, N7." Samara stood. "Time to get back to St. Pancras Hospital." She helped James to his feet. "Jack would probably like to get out and destroy something by now, you could use some sleep, and I would like to sit by my friend's bedside." They made their way down the stairs of what was once someone's home. As they walked out the empty front door, the first hint of the Sun's disk crept over the horizon.


	3. Chapter 3

The warmth of the late afternoon sun soaked into James' skin and golden light filtered through his closed eyes. The gentle crashing of the waves filled his ears and the smell of salt air filled his nose. It was a perfect day. Between the Reaper War and then his security duties at Shepard's hospital in London, he didn't even know how long it had been since he had a day to relax. It was long overdue. This stretch of beach was his favorite spot. It was islolated, about an half-hour north of San Carlos on the Sea of Cortez, a small cove with a wide beach and an even wider stretch of warm, shallow, crystal clear water. He'd found it when he was teenager, and during those horny adolescent years it was his favorite spot to bring young ladies for a romantic seaside picnic.

He stretched his arms above his head, and flexed his back, feeling the sand beneath his beach towel shift with his motions. James propped himself up on his elbows so he could get a look at his sunbathing companion. Cortez was sprawled out, flat on his stomach, his head cradled in his arm. James allowed his eyes to wander where they wished, tracing up and down Cortez's body, coming to rest on Steve's shoulders, then slowly moving down to the wide back. James wondered at how much larger and more muscular Cortez was out of uniform. Fully dressed, Cortez was unmistakably fit, but the impression that he was of slight build was an illusion; he was most pleasingly, in James' estimation, solidly built. James rolled onto his side, propping his head on his fist. James could feel his bathing suit becoming more snug as his gaze continued to skim over Steve's body, admiring how his surprisingly wide lats tapered invitingly into the hollow of of his back, and then how the curve of muscles began a gentle upward sweep again, rising and forming the buttocks that were snugly covered by a tightly fitting black square-cut swimsuit. James' gaze stayed fixed on Steve's ass for a minute or two, as he silently admired each and every detail, the small dimple in the side of the buttocks that was faintly outlined underneath the fabric. By now James was grateful that his own chioice of swinsuit was somewhat baggier, although it wouldn't hide much if he got any more aroused. His eyes moved lower, down the back of the legs, down to feet, and then slowly back up. James' focus switched, and took in the whole view, Steve's naturally amber-colored skin was now tanned a few shades darker.

"Are you enjoying the view, Mr. Vega?" Steve rolled onto his side and gave James a wide grin.

"Come on, Esteban, I can admire the view, especially after all those free shows you always got to watch whenever I worked out in the armory?" James winked and then lifted an arm and flexed his bicep.

Steve sat up." _Whenever_ you worked out in the armory? You mean you only worked out when I was there to watch?"

The heat in his cheeks and prickling sensation in his earlobes let James know he was blushing.

"I see..." Steve flashed a wicked grin and before James could react, Steve had bounded over and playfully pushed James onto his back, and stradling his abdomen, pinned him. James pretended to struggle against his would-be assailant, but Steve managed to grab both of his wrists, further pinning James' arms over his head.

James quickly gave up his mock struggle, and looked up into Steve's eyes, the blue of his irises even more brilliantly blue set against his tan face. Steve lowered his face so that it was mere inches from his own. James swallowed hard, his breathing was shallow. Time seemed to move very slowly. "Don't think that I didn't appreciate the shows, James. And as much hard work you put into it that amazing body of yours, you have every reason to be proud of it when you show it off." Steve leaned in even closer, the tip of his nose almost touching James' own. James was acutely aware of Steve's presence, the heat coming off of his body, the smell of the soap and shampoo he favored. James was also now very aware of the very solid erection that he could feel beginning to poke out from the waistband of his swimsuit.  "But if all the times you worked up a good sweat in front of me, Mr. Vega," the words coming out of Steve's mouth were spoken low, "you were just doing it to get _me_ worked up... well, Mister Vega, that makes you a _tease_." He could feel Steve's breath brushed over his own mouth.

Steve leaned in even closer. He was so close James could kiss him. He wanted to kiss him so badly, but he couldn't move. James' breath was coming quickly, and he could hear his own pulse pounding in his ears.

"Tease." The word exploded out of Steve's mouth in a hiss. James caught the word in his mouth and breathed it in. James' dick was now so hard his pubic muscles were contracting involuntarily, the spasms of contracting muscles making his rock hard erection even more solid.

James couldn't break Steve's locked gaze. "Not a tease" The protest escaped James' mouth as a groan.

"Liar." There was a look in Steve's eyes, something that spoke of frustration, and revenge. "Two can play that game." And with those words, Steve hopped back a little, so that rather than straddling Jame's abdomen, Steve was stradling James' hips. Steve began to grind his ass against him. And then stopped. Steves eyes widened in surprise.

James was keenly aware of the weight and heat and feel of Steve's very firm ass sitting on top of his dick, albeit separated by two layers of fabric. James watched as Steve's gaze lowered slowly. He could feel Steve's eyes moving over his body. James wondered if Steve could see how every muscle of his body wanted to give itself to him. He hoped he could. James watched as Steve's gaze stopped its downward traverse. He knew what Steve was looking at, because he could feel it, he could feel Steve's gaze resting on the tip of his penis sticking up above the waist of his bathing suit.

"Not teasing you. Never teasing." The words were hard to get out. "Just wanted you to notice." James felt his eyes begin to water. "Just wanted you to _see me_."

Steve's eyes snapped back to James' face. The look on Steve's face was hard to read, his mouth moved like he was trying to say something, but no words came out.

James reached up and ran his fingers over Steve's cheek. "I --"

Before James could say another word, Steve lunged forward, catching James' lips with his own. The kiss was everything James had imagined it would be. The feel of Steve's body against his own was nothing short of heaven and the feel of Steve's own erection pressed against his body nearly sent him over the edge. James ran his hands up and down Cortez's back, kneading and squeezing.

Their lips parted for a moment. "Esteban." James sighed, his hands resting on Steve's ass. Steve's pupils were dilated, wide dark pools ringed with blue. Steve pulled his bathing suit off, James quickly did the same.

James bit his lower lip. "I've been dreaming about a moment like this for a long, long time."

"I did notice you. I did see you." Steve leaned in and kissed him quickly. "I've always seen you." Steve said as he ran his fingers through James' hair.

They began kissing again, running their hand over each other's body, massaging, exploring. Steve shifted his legs, sliding between James', spreading them. The feel of Steve's penis as it brushed against his ass brought a low moan out James. James broke their kiss, and looking into Steve's eyes, nodded his head. "I want you. I want you inside me."

James spread his legs farther apart, and tilted his hips up. He grabbed at Steve's ass, kneading and holding on firmly to each cheek. He whimpered as the tip of Steve's penis pressed against his ass. He felt an incredible, pleasant, throbbing heat. As Steve's dick began to enter him, he let out a moan.

He met Steve's eyes. " _Esteban_ , I love --"

The lighting strike was so close the thunderclap made the room shake, waking Vega from his dream. James could feel the familiar weight and warmth of Steve Cortez sleeping on top of him. He took a deep breath and dropping his gaze from the ceiling, looked down, expecting to see the top of the head of a sleeping Esteban. Steve's heavily lidded eyes met his gaze in the dim room.

"You seemed to be having some wild dream. Everything alright?" Steve asked sleepily.

"Yeah. Everything's okay." James was silent for a moment. "Just a dream." The words tasted bitter. "Can't remember it now." He lied. James suddenly became very aware that not only did he have an erection, it was rather obviously pressing against Cortez's stomach.

"That's too bad. If you go back to sleep now, maybe you can get back to it." Steve laid his head back down on James' chest as he ran a hand through James' hair. "Sweet dreams."

As James lay there in silence, he realized there was something firm pressed against his thigh. Cortez had an erection as well.

Cortez stretched his legs. James could feel Cortez's gluteal muscles contract and move. James realized that both his hands were stuck down Cortez's pants, holding his ass cheeks.

James began to remove his hands from Steve's pants very slowly, so as not to wake him. After James had removed his hands he found a more appropriate place to put them, resting on Cortez's back, above his clothes. He let himself drift off to sleep to the sound of the thunderstorm outside.


	4. Chapter 4

Although it had been almost a full six months since the Reapers were defeated, most of the galaxy was still in chaos. Infrastructure, built up over hundreds, if not thousand of years, had been destroyed virtually overnight. It wasn't just the highest of high-tech marvels that were destroyed, like FTL comm-buoys, or even, most obviously, the Citadel and the Mass Relays, but it was the basic things, the stuff no one cared or thought about until they stopped working: roads, bridges, power grids, water supplies, sewers, rail lines, and a million other taken-for-granted things that made day-to-day civilization possible. Gone.

In the near pitch dark of a night barely illuminated by the smallest sliver of a crescent moon, Samara carefully picked her way through the rubble that had yet to be cleared from this section of London. She stopped at the top of a particularly high pile of rubble and surveyed her surroundings. Off in the distance, a pale glow caught her eye. The shape of the structure seemed familiar somehow, but she couldn't quite place how or why she remembered it.

"Cathedral of Saint Paul."

"I do not recall asking you a question or giving you permission to speak." Samara said coolly.

"Yeah? Well this ain't Thessia, and I'm not a Novitiate."

Samara's response was quick. "However, this _is_ a Justicar training exercise --"

"A _joint_ training exericse. Justicars and N7s sharing techniques and information, remember? 'Taking the best of both individual traditions to create something better for our common future.'"

"Are you feeling alright, Jack? For a second you almost sounded like Shepard."

Jack eyed Samara in mock anger. "Yeah, well... Shepard rubs off on people."

Samara gazed back at the cathedral dome, thinking of her sole surviving daughter who chose to remain living in the ruined ardat-yakshi sanctuary on Lessus. "Yes, he does at that."

A high-pitched howling pierced the darkness, catching the biotic pair's attention. Jack turned to move in the direction of the sound. Samara motioned for her to be still.

"Varren?" As if to answer her question, the howling returned, along with other howls.

Samara turned her head slightly to Jack, but did not stop staring in the direction from which the sounds came. "A pack of them, I believe."

Before the Battle of the Crucible, Admiral Hackett, the highest ranking Alliance officer to survive, had made an explicit point of telling the krogan not to bring any varren with them to Earth. Varren inevitably became an invasive species where ever they were introduced. The krogan, being the krogan, took Hackett's demand as more of a suggestion.

The howling grew closer. Samara looked at Jack and motioned below them. "They're hunting something."

A small, dark, something skittered in the darkness below them, followed quickly by a pack of varren. the small, dark, something turned into a blind alley. Jack and Samara followed along the rooftop. The varren cornered their prey. The varren fell silent as they spread out in a semicircle, alpha varren in center, preparing to pounce on whatever unfortunate animal they had caught scent of. A hiss came from the cornered animal, and then a loud yowl. And then there was a bright flash as the tiny creature did a biotic charge at the alpha varren. There was more hissing and another low, loud yowl, and then another bright flash as the creature charged the alpha varren again. The alpha, knocked back a few meters after each charge, was now out of the alley and cut off from its pack. The creature hissed again, and began to yowl, and before it could charge a third time, the alpha varren yelped and turned tail and ran. The rest of the varren pack, without their pack alpha and now trapped in a blind alley, began baying loudly in distress.

Jack laughed, and putting her newly-learned Justicar skills to use, leapt off the top of the building and biotically glided to the street below.

"Jack! Wait!"

Jack landed softly a few meters away from the small creature, between it and the panicked pack of varren behind her. She stooped low and motioned to the creature, inviting it with surprisingly soft cooing sounds. The small bundle of fur slowly, cautiously inched forward until it was close enough for jack to scratch behind its ears. It drew closer, and slowly, carefully, Jack picked it up and held the small creature close to her, petting its soft, black fur.

"What is that?" Samara asked.

"A kitten. A _biotic_ kitten." She rubbed her nose against the kittens. "You have to be nice to Eezo if I'm going to bring you home. Yes you do!"

"I have seen many things, but that something so small could be so powerful is rare indeed, especially that varren could scared off by something so small..." Samara trailed off. "One of Earth's most fiercesome predators?"

"A house pet. And it's a baby, actually."

"A baby?"

"Kitten. Kittens are baby cats."


	5. Chapter 5

"'Someone's been eating my porridge,' growled the Papa bear." James read out loud in a deep bass. He then switched to a high falsetto. "'Someone's been eating my porridge,' said the Mama bear."

Shepard groaned.

James barely contained a laugh as he dropped his regsiter slightly, but still in falsetto. "'Someone's been eating my porridge and they ate it all up!' cried the Baby bear."

Shepard glared at James, and in a hoarse, barely audible whisper "I swear to every deity that every sentient species has ever prayed to, as soon as I am strong enough to get out of this bed I am going to shove that datapad up your --"

"Bath time!" Kaidan announced as he came into Shepard's hospital room. That cart the he pushed in front of him had a large basin on top of it, the water steaming slighlty in the cool air of the room.

"Finally!"

"What? You hate getting a bath."

"I hate James reading me children's stories even more. I don't even care that that salarian nurse -- who is in no way an STG operative -- has no idea what he's doing."

"Well, the salarian won't be bathing you this evening." A sly grin spread over Kaidan's face. "I will."

"Ohhhhhh. I see..." A sly smile grew across Shepard's face as he turned to his literary antagonist. "Thanks for story time, James. Beat it."

James stood and saluted smartly. He walked over to the couch and shook Cortez by the shoulder. "Time to get up, sleepyhead."

Steve roused with a start. "I wasn't sleeping. I was just resting my eyes."

"Sure." James grinned at him. "Time to go. The Major's back and it's bath time for Loco."

"Oh. Okay." Cortez got up slowly. "Sorry I dozed off, Shepard."

"Not a problem Steve. Between your day job doing shuttle runs and babysitting me at night..."

Kaidan cleared his throat. "Why don't you two take the rest of the night off? I can handle things here."

"I'm something to be 'handled?'" Shepard's voice was indignant.

Kaidan leaned in close. "Well, there are parts of you that definitely need to be handled."

"Okay, we're going." James slipped an arm around Cortez's waist. "How about you buy me some dinner?"

"Goodnight Shepard, Kaidan." Steve jabbed an elbow in Vega's side. "Only the finest for you Mr. Vega. I hear Chez Normandie has the best chef and only the finest MREs. It's very exclusive."

"You're so good to me, Esteban."

"Better than you deserve, James."

Shepard threw a puzzled look to Kaidan as the door closed behind the exiting pair. "So... I know I was out for a long time, so did they finally...?"

"Those two? Ha!" Kaidan's laughed echoed off the walls. "Neither of the them can see what's right in front of their faces."

Shepard slowly lifted an arm, thinned from months of in activity, and rans his fingers along Kaidan's jaw. "I know what that's like."

Kaidan leaned in closer and pressed his lips to Shepard's. "Yeah. Good thing that changed."

"Yeah."

* * *

The walk from the hospital to the Normandy and its makeshift dry-dock was not long. As the Normandy was the only reliable power source for the hospital, it had to be close by. The guards posted at the entrance waved them through with barely a second glance. They were, after all, two among a small group of the most well-known people in the galaxy.

Steve stopped short of the airlock. "You go ahead and eat. I'm not really hungry, and I could definitely use a shower."

James crinkled his nose in mock disgust. "You sure could. You stink."

"Tell you what. You eat while I get cleaned up, and then at about..." Steve checked his omni-tool, " twenty-three hundred you swing by my quarters and we watch some _Fleet and Flotilla_?"

"Sounds good. Can't wait until we get some new episodes, whenever that will be."

"These are new episodes." Steve whispered conspiratorially.

"What!?! How?!?!"

"Well, not 'new' new, but the stuff that never got broadcast once the Reapers captured the Citadel. I was talking to Liara a few days ago while I was taking her and a group of techs to the Citadel and she said that while they were working to restore the Citadel Archives' data systems, she ran across the data archives that were used to store the entertainment programs broadcast from the Citadel. She said they were low priority for restoration, especially with the extranet essentially non-existent and virtually no FTL comm-buoy newtork."

"Then how --"

"I asked her for a favor, and in return, I would owe her a favor..."

"I don't know, Esteban." James wore a serious expression. "She's Liara and all, and I trust her with my life, but she's also the --"

Steve cut James off. "Yeah. I know. So when she comes to collect on her favor," he grinned, "it's bound to be exciting..."

James groaned. "Exciting and _extremely_ dangerous. So, _if_ and _when_ she comes calling, you'd damn well better come back."

"Why Mr. Vega, I never knew you cared." Steve patted James' cheek. "Now go eat. I need to shower."

"See you at twenty-three?"

"It's a date." Steve turned and walked down the corridor and around the corner.

"No it's not!" James grumbled under his breath.

"It _so_ is."

James, startled by the crackling voice over Normandy's intercomm, jumped imperceptibly. "Jesus Joker, get a life."

"You know, if you get him a ring now, you two can get married alongside Kaidan and Shepard."

"Not funny, Joker."

"Actually it is. And really sweet, too."


	6. Chapter 6

The hot water pounding on the back of his neck brought Steve some relief from a long day. He inhaled deeply, letting the steamy air fill his lungs. As he exhaled, he let his stress exit with his breath. He inhaled and exhaled again slowly, becoming more relaxed with each repeated cycle. Shepard had finally regained consciousness and physically, at least, he was healing well enough. That was good for so many reasons, not least of which was Shepard himself, but his recovery meant that Kaidan and James would finally be able to relax a little. Steve knew what it was like to lose a spouse, and he knew what Kaidan was going through: the fear of losing his husband before they were even officially married, pre-battle exchange of tags or no. And James...  James was as loyal as they came, but he was worried about Shepard not only out of loyalty, but because deep down, deep underneath that badass exterior, James was teddy bear. Steve chuckled at the thought. James was a teddy bear. He would know, after all, as most nights over the past six weeks he'd spent sleeping soundly next to, and on top of, said teddy bear.

They would still have to move Shepard some place safe, probably sooner rather than later. News of Shepard's recovery couldn't be kept quiet forever, and even with the protection of James, Jack, Samara, Liara, Miranda and all the assorted resources they could bring to bear, sooner or later any number of people that bore a grudge or had a score to settle with Shepard would come calling. They would need to move Shepard some place remote, remote but close enough to a medical center in case of emergency, either they could fly him in for treatment, or fly a doctor out, and they'd need someone with medical training on site, but that would be Kaidan, naturally, and the Alliance would want to make sure that Shepard was somewhere where they could keep an eye on him without drawing attention to...

"Don't think too hard Esteban. Everything's gonna be okay."

Steve was startled for a moment. He was so deep in thought he hadn't even heard the water start in the adjoining shower stall. He turned his head slightly and cast a sidelong glance. "I thought you were getting something to eat."

"I did. Ate already. Thought I could use a shower, too." James winked and gave Steve a wide grin. "Wouldn't want to stink up your quarters while we're watching vids."

Steve was quiet, returning to let the water continue to course over the back of his neck.

"You okay, Esteban?" James continued to lather himself up "You gonna wash up or are you just gonna stand there wasting hot water?"

"I already cleaned up." He rolled his head slowly from side to side. "I'm just trying to get some kinks out of my neck."

James rinsed the soap off his arms and pressed up against the partition that separated the two of them. He took a moment to admire the view, watching the water splash against Steve's neck, down his back, and over his very nicely shaped ass. The moment stretched out as his eyes repeatedly moved up and down Steve's body, always coming back to rest on Steve's naked ass. James' dick began to get hard. Realizing he might get caught staring, he reached an arm over the partition and began to rub the base of Steve's skull. "Not enough pressure from the showerhead to work out these knots..."

Steve pressed his head back against the welcome pressure from James' fingers. He let James massage his neck for a few moments. "Does this mean you're done staring at my ass, James?"

Caught off guard, James' fingers faltered their massage. He started to protest his innocence, but bit back the words.

Steve patted James' hand and turned to shut off the water. "Thanks for the neck rub."

James turned back to the showerhead to wet his hair.

"See you in a few?" Steve asked.

"Okay, yeah. Let me just wash my hair and I'll be right over." James busied himself working his hair up into a lather, trying to ignore the head throbbing between his legs. The sight of Steve's ass taunted him in his imagination. As soon as he heard Cortez exit the bathroom he reached for his dick and began to stroke furiously. His breath came fast and shallow, the promise of his climax fast approaching with the aide of his imagination. He reached out his free hand to brace himself against the wall. His balls began to tighten as they prepated to empty themselves.

"Seeing as how your boyfriend just left, which shower stall has the sticky floor? Or would that be both?"

James' orgasm, so near to victory, beat a hasty retreat at the intrusion. James groaned in frustration. "Neither."

"Whoa! Why so angry? I was waiting to come in, so as not to interrupt anything..." Joker was silent for a moment and then broke out in laughter. "Oh my god! Solo interruptus?" Joker was still laughing as turned on the water and then climbed into the stall Cortez had exited a few minutes before.

James turned and fixed an icy glare at Joker. "Got no idea what you're talking about." He turned back to the showerhead and turned the water to full cold and rinsed his hair and body thoroughly.


	7. Chapter 7

Steve squeezed his eyes shut and tightened his grip. James was to blame for starting this. James and his 'innocent' neck rub in the shower. Both of them naked, less than an arm's length away from each other, separated only by a thin sheet of metal dividing the shower stalls. He breathed in and slid deeper into his imagination. This part of the fantasy was his favorite, the part his mind always returned to when he was getting close; his legs wrapped around James' lower back, his arms wrapped James' neck, pulling James head down to his, his lips pressed tight to James' and their tongues sliding against each other and James' body pressed close against him as James' dick slid in and out of him,  James' dick repeatedly pressing against his prostate with every thrust. James. James holding him. James fucking him. James kissing him. James being with him. James. He grunted and groaned. He was so close. James. He let his fantasy mirror is own reality, the only thing missing was James actually here to cum with him and in him, as he was about to do in his mind. He stopped mid-stroke when the door to his quarters slid open.

"Anybody home?"

Steve caught his breath and got off the bed to peer out from behind the makeshift room divider. "Come in, James. Thanks for knocking." Steve paused for a moment, puzzled by what he saw. "Why are you still in your bathrobe? Didn't you get dressed before you came down?" The sight of James Vega naked but for a bathrobe was the last thing he needed.

"The head filled up after you left. Guys waiting to take showers, brushing their teeth, getting ready for bed, place got pretty crowded, so..." James trailed off. He was lying, the only other person in the men's lav when he left was Joker. He just didn't want to dry off in front of Joker while sporting a huge erection, a huge _Esteban_ -induced erection, didn't want to give Joker the satisfaction of being right about how he felt about Cortez. James slid on pair of loose-fitting sweats under his bathrobe and adjusted his now semi-hard, slowly abating erection. "So I toweled off quick and headed down here. Figured you wouldn't mind the show as I got dressed."

Steve snorted. "You really are God's gift, aren't you?"

James would have let the remark slide, except he noticed that Cortez was still undressed himself. "Hey, why aren't _you_ dressed yet?" James' eyes glittered along with his conspiratorial smirk. "You need to take care of something before God's gift walked through your door?"

Steve half-lied as he went through his foot locker looking for something to wear, "I had to take a call. Supply-chain nonsense." Steve's cheeks burned in embarrassment, but at least he was still behind the room divider, hidden from James' sight. James' shower neck rub had got his mind racing and blood flowing so much that by the time he got back to his own quarters he _really_ needed to get rid of the erection that had sprung up. He was halfway to the finish line when his omni-tool interrupted him with a call. Nothing urgent, but it took enough of his time that James had turned up to interrupt him on his second attempt at relieving the very tension James himself had caused. _Great, I've got a raging case of blue balls and now I'm gonna be sitting here watching vids right next to the guy that gave 'em to me,_ he though to himself.

Steve came around the divider to find James still in his bathrobe.

James looked around the room. "I like what you've done with the place, amigo."

After Diana Allers had vacated the starboard cargo bay, Cortez had been assigned the space as his quarters and office. A makeshift Alliance-and-its-allies camp had sprung up around the Normandy and her makeshift dry-dock. Cortez was pulling double duty as shuttle pilot and what amounted to the only requistion and supply officer for the impromptu base.

"Are you going to finish getting dressed?"

"Yeah, yeah, sorry." James grin said that he wasn't really sorry. Steve watched as James pulled off his bathrobe and folded it over the back of Steve's office chair. James looked  at the pile of datapads strewn over the desk. Picking one up, he whistled, "Man, no wonder you're tired and stressed. Look at all this work." He put the pad down and, still shirtless, walked over to where Steve stood silently watching him. He put his hands on Steve's shoulders and began to rub them. He could feel Steve tense underneath his touch. "Esteban," he said softly, stepping closer, "man, you need to relax."

Steve stared up in James' eyes for a moment too long, and then lowered his gaze until it settled on James' perfect mouth. He breathed in deeply, enjoying the smell of soap and James' own freshly-scrubbed natural scent, and becoming fully aware of, and desperately resisting, the urge to kiss James' perfect, beautiful full lips. Feeling his erection returning, Steve ducked underneath James' arms and went to his desk. He retrieved a small data drive and motioned for James to sit on the small couch next to the desk. "Ready for some Fleet and Flotilla?" He offered cheerfully, fully aware of how awkward the situation was becoming.

"Ready when you are." James grabbed for the t-shirt he brought with him and pulled it on as he sat down.

As he settled onto the couch Steve hit "Play" on his omni-tool and the opening strains of Fleet and Flotilla filled the room. James stretched out his arms and yawned. When he lowered them, he rested one of his arms across the back of the couch, his hand gently rubbing Steve's shoulder.

* * *

Steve opened his eyes as the ending theme began and the credits started to roll. He looked to his side to see James sound asleep. He sat there for a while, silent, watching the steady rise and fall of James' chest as he slept. After a minute or two the final notes of the ending theme played, and the screen went dark as the program ended. The room was totally silent except for the soft sound of James' breathing. Steve shifted in his seat. James' arm was still draped over the back of the couch. Steve reached up and with his index finger, slowly and gently traced a vein running from James' wrist, up along the underside of his forearm, and up his bicep. Steve stopped where the vein disappeared under James' t-shirt. He let his hand linger for a moment, but instead of pulling his hand away, he let his fingers trace the scar that started on the bridge of James' nose and crossed over his cheek. Steve wondered if James knew just how beautiful he was, if, when he looked in the mirror, he saw what Steve saw when he looked at him: an honorable man who had done right by the screwed up kid that he used to be. Steve pressed his thumb lightly to the scar that ran from James' lip to his chin. Steve leaned in, getting closer to James , until he was almost close enough to give in the urge to kiss him.

James could feel the thumb pressed against the scar on his chin. Just like he felt Steve tracing the scar on his nose and cheek, that's what had woken him. Leaving his eyes closed, he relaxed and let Steve run his fingers over his face. He hadn't imagined how good such a thing could feel, and it felt _good_. He thought it probably had just as much to do with _who_ was touching him as much as how and where. Even with his eyes closed he swore he could see Steve leaning in close, he certainly could feel the man's presence get closer. Steve was so close James could feel his breath on his lips, and James' body, earlier denied the release it desired, responded accordingly. James could feel an erection growing again, neither slowly or subtly. Suddenly, Steve's thumb disappeared from his face and he could feel Steve retreating.

James cracked open his eyes slightly, and in the dim light of the room, could see Steve sitting at the other end of the couch, staring at him. For a moment he wondered if Steve could see his hardon, but then decided he didn't care, and he made no effort to hide it. "If you're gonna keep staring at me with that much heat, Esteban, you might as well just go ahead and kiss me." The words were as much a challenge as an invitation. James could swear Steve's eyes seemed to glitter in the darkness.

Moments that seemed like an eternity passed as they sat in the dim silence. And then slowly, deliberately, Steve leaned in closer. He locked eyes with James, and reached out to him, his fingers brushing the scarred cheek before wrapping around the back of James' neck. Steve could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and hear the blood rushing through his ears. When he was almost nose-tip to nose-tip, he stopped, his blue eyes still locked on the hazel pair staring back at him. He drew in a deep breath, his mind racing. The face of James Vega was so close to his own, so close he could feel James' breath against his own lips. He shifted on the couch, swinging a leg up and over, coming to rest straddling James' lap. He put out his other hand to brace himself, and his palm landed squarely on James' well-developed chest. His fingers were greeted with the rhythm of a heart pounding beneath the firm muscle. Beneath him he could feel the firm throbbing of James' arousal, pressing urgently against his own inner thigh. He caught his breath and leaned in even closer, eyes still wide open.

James' stomach was a mass of knots and his breath came fast and shallow. Steve was so close to him, those blue eyes staring into his own. And now that Steve was straddling his lap, there could no longer be any doubt as to his own' desires and his desire for the man perched atop him as he was certain they could both feel his hard length throbbing against Steve himself. The anticipation of what was happening  was thrilling, and agonizing too, as James finally realized just how much he had come to care for the man who was now mere inches from him. James reached up, his thumb stroking Steve's jawline, his touch an invitiation for the other man to move closer, to finally, finally kiss him. That face, that beautiful face was so close to his, and for a moment James couldn't figure out what he wanted more, to kiss Steve Cortez or be kissed by Steve Cortez; until he realized he didn't care how it happened, so long as it happened. James swallowed hard and tried to find his voice, but all that would come out was a faint, whispering plea, "Stephen..."

Unable to resist the quivering urge in the pit of his stomach or the call of his own heart any longer, James closed the last, seemingly impossibly large distance that separated them and pressed his lips firmly against Steve's. His lips were as smooth and warm as James had often imagined them, but the reality he was living now was far better than any thoughts he entertained during a private jack off session in the shower. His tongue pressed from between his own lips, probing gently against his companion. In one awful moment, he felt Steve tense his whole body, as if he had realized he was about to make some horrible mistake. James could feel his eyes begin to water, feeling sorrow and self-loathing at pushing things too far, or too fast or in the wrong direction. He hadn't felt like this about anyone in a very long time, and it wasn't since he was a teenager that he'd had these feelings for another man.

' _Stephen_.' Not Steve, or Cortez, or even _Esteban_ , but ' _Stephen_.' That's what James had called him. That was what Robert used to called him, quietly, in their intimate moments, when they were alone at home, curled up in bed early in the morning before getting up to face the day, or as the last kiss before sleeping, or naked, sweaty, needing, wrapped up in each other's bodies and passions. 'Stephen.' It was a name he used to hear whispered in his ear or grunted through gritted teeth. He could feel James' tongue pressing softly against his own lips. How he wanted to grant the man entry, not only into his mouth, and not just into the rest of his body, but into his heart and soul as well. His heart swelled to near bursting at thought of loving James, and James loving him in return. _But._ Steve froze at the idea of letting someone else in. He was looking over the edge, knowing that if he gave in to the desires he shared with James, things would neve be the same between them. They would move to a place beyond friendship, and from there they would not be able to return.

Still staring into his each others eyes, Steve could see tears welling in James' eyes.

Steve pressed his lips into James', returning the kiss and opening his mouth to allow James entry, meeting him with his own tongue. James eagerly accepted the invitation. As they kissed, they let their hands explore each other's bodies, touching and probing, kneading and carressing. After a few short moments, their hands found their way under eachother's clothing, skin finally finding skin. After a shorter time still, they began to remove eachother's clothes, until they were finally naked, pressed up against each other, a tangle of legs and arms and kisses.

Steve reclined against the armrest of the couch, his fingers combing through James' hair. His other hand played up and down James' spine, kneading and massaging the silky smooth skin and the firm muscles beneath.

James lifted his head and his lips once again found Steve's. He kissed him slowly and deeply. "I feel like I could kiss you forever."

"Who knew you were such a romantic?"

James smiled. "Stephen," he whispered in Steve's ear, "take me to bed."


	8. Chapter 8

It was odd seeing the sun rise through the portholes of the starboard cargo bay. What was odder still was to see the morning sunlight pouring through the porthole and then spilling onto the body of the man wrapped tightly in Steve's arms. Steve nuzzled the back of James' neck and gave a series of gentle kisses from his hairline to his shoulder blades.

"That tickles." James murmured, half awake.

"Go back to sleep." Steve's lips continued their assault as he worked his way back James' neck. "It's still early."

"Can't. Sun's in my eyes."

Steve nibbled an exposed earlobe. "Then turn over," he whispered.

"Still wouldn't be able to sleep." James turned to face Steve. "Too much sexy in my eyes now." He wrapped an arm around Cortez and pulled him close for a kiss.

"So long as we're both up..." Steve had a sly grin on his face.

James returned the expression. "You want me to do that thing with my tongue again?"

"Yeah. I do."

"Roll onto your back." James said as he slid under the covers.


End file.
